Borough wants to move ahead with soccer field

After approving the formation of a selection committee to evaluate proposals for an artificial soccer turf field at Grier Park last week, Pierrefonds/Roxboro says it is closer than ever to begin work on the long-awaited project, estimated to cost about $1.35 million.

"I'm in daily contact with the (provincial ministry of leisure, sport and education)," said councillor Bert Ward after the borough's monthly council meeting last Monday.

He said federal and provincial grants are expected to pay about $675,000 of the project, with the other half coming from the borough's pockets.

"We started talking about this project about three years ago," said borough spokesperson Johanne Palladini.

The borough maintains an artificial field presents numerous advantages over using real grass.

"(The players) will be able to use it at least nine months of the year," Ward estimated.

He added maintenance costs would drop dramatically, since artificial turf does not require trimming or mowing.

However, not everyone is optimistic about the project's completion. "We were promised the field two years ago," said Fern da Silva, president of the Pierrefonds Soccer Association, the largest of the borough's three soccer leagues with its approximately 2,800 members.

Da Silva said none of the fields in the borough are in proper shape, and Grier in particular is in such a bad state he has warned officials that he will not allow any games to be played on it after the end of the month.

"I will not allow the players on it next year," da Silva said.

"It's actually dangerous," he said when asked if the field at Grier now has too many potholes for a proper game of soccer.

"If I had alternatives, I'd probably cancel every single game I have on it, but I don't," he said.

The borough has not announced a completion date for the project.